Hollyland Lark M2 combo version review - high-quality sound for all

Amateur Photographer verdict

This is a really nice kit that offers good sound from very small microphones and a neat package of accessories. It works with both cameras and phones, and produces very good results for little effort.

Pros

Comprehensive kit
Smartphone receivers included
Clean and clear audio quality
Easy to use

Cons

Limited controls

The Hollyland Lark M2 combination kit is a wireless microphone kit that includes two tiny transmitter units and three receivers. One of these is designed for cameras, one for iPhones with Lightning connectors, while the third plugs directly into devices with USB-C ports. The kit comes with a charging case and full set of accessories.

Hollyland Lark M2 Combo version at a glance:

$179 / £170
Receivers for cameras and phones
300m max range
48kHz 24 bit recording
>70dB signal to noise ratio
115dB sound pressure level
10 hours record time x 2 charges
hollyland.com

Technically I’m not a sound man, but I do know that sound people hate to see a microphone in the frame. I also know that in the last two or three years, boxy wireless mics have been appearing on our screens clipped to the coats of all sorts of people, from news reporters to vloggers.

Mic manufacturers have been loving having their logo and brand name splashed all over the place as though they are a cool pair of jeans – some are indeed cool, but none are Yves Saint Laurent. So, I was very pleased to see Hollyland offering a set of wireless microphones that are very small and discreet, and which are designed to either make a fun statement, or to be hidden away well out of sight.

Hollyland Lark M2 transmitter in use. Credit: Damien Demolder

Hollyland Lark M2 Combo version key features:

Twin transmitters: Kit comes with two microphone transmitters to allow conversations between two people to be recorded
Charging case: The case holds two transmitters and the camera receiver, and can charge all twice before it needs charging itself
Small mics: The microphones are just larger than a £1 coin and weigh 9g, so can be concealed very easily
Pouch: A neat two-sectioned pouch can comfortably hold the charging case and all the cables and accessories, so it’s easy to keep everything together in one place

Hollyland Lark M2 size illustration — The mic/transmitter units are the size of a pound coin. Credit: Damien Demolder

Hollyland sent me the Lark M2 combo kit, which includes two microphones with built-in wireless transmitters plus three receivers. One of these is designed for cameras, one is for iPhones with Lightning connectors, and the third has a USB-C connector for computers, Android devices, or iPhone 15 models.

The microphones and camera-mounted receiver all fit into a neat case that keeps them safe as well as charged. The case has enough capacity to charge the three devices twice, and once charged they can run for ten hours each.

Holyland Lark M2 smartphone receiver units. Credit: Damien Demolder

The two button-shaped microphones have magnetic backs so they can be attached to clothes, via either a small magnetic disk that goes the other side of your shirt, or mini plastic A-clamps. There is also a pair of string necklaces that have magnetic disks so the mics can hang around your neck and be hidden down a shirt.

For windy conditions a pair of very hairy windshields are provided, and for those who like to make a statement, a set of smiley-face stickers are included. We also have plain black and plain white stickers too, so we can make a show of the mics or make them disappear.

Hollyland Lark M2 transmitter with windshield and clothing clips. Credit: Damien Demolder

A USB-A to USB-C cable allows us to charge the case, to charge our phone while using the phone receivers and to connect the camera receiver to a computer for direct recording without a phone or camera. For recording to a camera, we have a 3.5mm TRS cable that connects your mic port to the main receiver.

Each microphone has just one button for noise cancelation, and the main receiver has just two buttons and a dial. The dial allows us a choice of three volume settings, and the buttons allow us to switch between mono and stereo recording as well as to turn the receiver off.

Hollyland Lark M2 camera receiver unit. Credit: Damien Demolder

The 300mm specified range is only available when there’s a clear line of sight between the receiver and the transmitters, and even with Hollyland’s ‘Laser Direct Structuring’ antenna, people and walls will get in the way. I found though that within thirty or so metres, bricks could be dealt with, but at greater distances solid objects prevent the signal returning home.

Most occasions will see short distances between camera and subject, and then the 48kHz 24-bit recording will sound great – especially for speech. Noise levels are pretty low so recordings sound clean, clear and well rounded.

Hollyland Lark M2 mic unit close-up. Credit: Damien Demolder

Hollyland LarkSound App

The free LarkSound app allows a little more control of volume for mobile phone video. A double-click of the yellow button on the mic can trigger recording in phones that use their volume button for record-start/stop. I hoped the app would allow more control of volume and noise cancelation for camera recording, but it doesn’t.

Hollyland Mark M2 in use with smartphone and Larksound app. Credit: Damien Demolder

Hollyland Lark M2 combo version: Our Verdict

This is a really nice little kit that offers good sound from very small microphones and a very neat package of accessories. Controls are a bit limited, but the idea is that it works out of the box, so anyone can use it.

Hollyland Lark M2 receiver on camera. Credit: Damien Demolder

For more complex controls, internal recording in transmitters and on-receiver monitoring, you need to look at the Lark Max with its larger transmitters or go for the Rode Wireless Go ll. But this Lark M2 will keep a lot of people very happy. It’s a great, simple kit that’s a lot of fun to use and which produces very good results for little effort.